Dear Friends,

 

Leveraging Friends Seminary's passion for innovation with our commitment to sustainability, we've transformed our traditionally printed annual report into this interactive, digital document — bringing an age-old institution responsibly into the modern digital age.

 

So, it is only fitting we've launched this new format to report on fiscal year 2014-2015, a year punctuated with milestones and achievement from start to finish. From the first day of Friends Seminary's 229th session, Friends already reached new heights as we welcomed 760 students, a record number. As the year came to a close, I attained a personal milestone by graduating the class I welcomed as kindergarteners — a truly special moment for me as an educator and principal.

 

Our community of parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the School reached new heights in their support of Friends and its mission.

 

• Led by Beth Brownstein, Kennedy Cogan and Robyn Rahbar, the Annual Fund set a new threshold at $2.35 million.
   

• The Class of 2015 Fund for Greenscaping contributed to both endowment and to the Campus Redevelopment Project.
   

• More than $10 million was contributed to the operating budget, Campus Redevelopment Project and the endowment.
   

• Auction 2015, aptly themed "A Landmark Year," raised more than $1 million and set a new record.
   

• We celebrated early successes in the Light the Future Campaign, which will contribute to the Campus Redevelopment Project.

 

Finally, we celebrated 325 years of Quaker education in America last year, and I am proud that our school has played an integral role in this story. When I consider the sweeping continuum of tradition and values Friends is part of, I am truly humbled. Indeed, we are all fortunate to be part of and witness to the unfolding story that is Friends Seminary.

 

All best,

 

 

 

Robert "Bo" Lauder